Green business refers to conducting business operations in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. It involves adopting strategies and initiatives that minimize the negative impact on the environment and preserve resources. Additionally, Green Business aims to promote fair labour practices, support local communities, and contribut to social causes.
Green Procurement is defined as the integration of environmental considerations into purchasing policies, programs and actions. Green procurement, or green purchasing, is the involvement of the purchasing function in supply chain management activities, such as life cycle analysis (LCA) and environmental design that facilitates recycling, reuse and resource reduction.
Sustainability has become a key topic even for financial institutions, such as banks and insurance companies. Sustainability regulations, in fact, also require these entities to estimate and report risks related to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) issues.
Sustainability has become a major factor affecting businesses around the world. Through the three dimensions of the Environmental, Social and Governance framework, sustainability has been incorporated into the business activity of many companies and has become an important factor affecting financial decisions. In this context, ESG risks can have a significant impact on the long-term financial performance and reputation of companies.
Climate change is shaping our future in many different ways. It is opening new approaches in financing activities too, as investing in projects that aim at reducing the carbon footprint of human activities has become increasingly crucial, both for the planet and for businesses. In fact, there are several opportunities in climate investing. Organizations that embrace climate investing can gain a competitive advantage by differentiating themselves from their peers and positioning themselves as leaders in sustainability. In recent years, there has also been a growing trend among banks to incorporate sustainability and climate considerations into their investment decisions.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies have gained momentum in the business world as companies have started to recognize their potential for long-term value creation. However, the growing importance of ESG has also led to increased scrutiny and pressure from stakeholders to deliver on promises of sustainable and ethical practices. In this context, ESG security plays a crucial role in safeguarding an organization's reputation, assets and investments.
Climate change is increasingly being recognized as a major risk to businesses. The physical impacts of the environmental disaster caused by climate change, such as extreme weather events, sea level rise, and droughts, can disrupt supply chains, damage infrastructure, and impact operations. In addition, the transition to a low-carbon economy presents risks and opportunities for businesses, as governments and consumers demand more sustainable practices. As a result, it's important for companies to evaluate their exposure to climate risks and opportunities. This can help them identify potential threats to their business and take steps to mitigate them, as well as seize opportunities to innovate and create value.
The concept of green procurement refers to the acquisition of products with a reduced environmental impact, which provides the same or improved function and performance but are less harmful to human health and the environment. It involves the use of materials with a low environmental impact and that are more sustainable, as well as the implementation of practices that promote sustainability and the choice of the less impacting option of sourcing and production.
While it is true that today ESG issues—Environmental, Social, and Governance characteristics inherent in every type of business—are increasingly high on the agendas of major organizations' boards, the carbon footprint remains one of the most important concerns in the field of sustainability.
ESG criteria chart the course for sustainable transition in both the b2b world, from SMEs and large corporations to the world of finance.
Measuring sustainability performances is becoming increasingly important for both large corporations and SMEs. On one hand, obtaining ESG certification opens several business opportunities for companies, relating to funding, partnerships and service offering. On the other hand, measuring ESG performances can be a difficult journey, especially for SMEs which, however, cannot back down from this challenge. The European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), in fact, has extended the obligation to produce a sustainability report also to SMEs listed on one of the Member States' markets.